Intel P1-133 -> Intel P1-233MMX

[ablang]

I'm thinking of doing a simple upgrade so that I can run Windows ME. I paid $129 for my Intel P1-133 back in 1997 (summer), and I'm thinking of buying the Intel P1-233MMX (currently $35 plus S&H, but I'm sure I can get it used for cheaper). I want to do this so I can keep my motherboard ASUS P55T2P4, and my old EDO SIMMS (64MB).

My question is, will I be able to feel the performance increase, and would it be worth it?

[RobUK]

I upgraded from an AMD k5 75MHz cpu a few years ago now to a pentium 166MMX. I didn't really see much of a difference.

Windoze ME is a power eating machine by all accounts and a 233 would not really cope.
You need to bite the bullet and upgrade the whole thing.

I have an AMD k6/2 450MHz CPU with 64MB SDRAM PC100 and a voodoo3 3000 agp and i think Win98 could run faster.

If you put in the 233 you should keep using win98 or 95.

Hope it helped - Rob

[orkboss]

I agree.

[RataToo]

i was using a 233 mmx until just recently and I was surprised to see what a great little cpu it was. I have a couple more powerful systems now, and Ive noticed that win 98 and win me run about the same, so great speed increases or decreases. I had a laptop that was a 133 and my desktop was a 233 and with both running 98 I noticed a huge difference. I grew very impatient with my laptop. I think when you get up to higher mhz you hardly notice a 100 mhz upgrade, but when you start from 133 you are making an almost 100 percent increase. So I say you will see a pretty good increase. And if win 98 ran ok on a 233, win me should too. I was using my 233 mmx for gaming for quite some time and I was happy, until I used someone elses p3 500 of course...hehe... GO FOR IT, i think you will be a happy monkey. ENJOY http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[Eli]

Running the same OS you would see a nice speed increase if you go from the 133 to the 233. My brother went fron a Cyrix P150+ (133 MHz) to an Intel 233 MMX and he coldn't be happier. Since you're also upgrading the OS you might not see as much of a difference though...

[Ed_S]

First I should say that I have NO experience with ME - yet!


But I did have a P133, went to a 233, then to a K6/2-400 (@450).

Major difference between the 133 and the 233 in ALL usage.
From 233 to 450, noticable but NOT as great as the previous change.

I've still got a 233, and can use it w/o any real frustration.

Since you've been satisified with the 133 this long, I'd bet the 233 would be an excellent upgrade!
And the 233 is a VERY overclockable chip, while the 133 is clock-locked. Mine ran at 290 with no problems.

[ablang]

Thanks for the great advice guys. Keep it comin!

Yeah, I've been very patient with my CPU (been staying away from the latest games, only play C&C Red Alert, Diablo 1, etc.).

I'm actually also hoping to hold out on NOT buying the PC-133 SDRAM until some RAM standard comes out for the next one, whether its DDR DRAM or whatever. Sort of skipping a generation when upgrading, like how I went from a 386SX to a P5-133 (of course, that was over a 6 year span).

[Ed_S]

HEY ABLANG!!!

I just checked specs on that board, if yours is a revision 3.0 or later, it has the specs needed to run a K6/2-400 using the 2x/6x multiplier!


This would be running the chip's voltage on the high side of tolerance at 2.5, so a good big fan is advisable.

P55T2P4 CPU Specs (http://www.asus.com.tw/products/motherboard/pentium/p55t2p4/p55t2p4%2Dcpu.html)

BTW, board also has the 75 & 83mhz FSB settings. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

Ed

[ablang]

Wow Ed! You just might be the man!

Good thing you caught me before I made a purchase of a CPU... I looked at the page, and I still don't see where it says I could run a AMD K6-2 400 CPU. Looks like I'll need a re-edumikation. I'm going to go back to my MB manual and see what revision I have, post-haste!

[Ed_S]

Doubt you'll find it documented in ANY MB manual.

AMD made the 400 backwards-compatible by internally remapping the way the chip interprets the 2X multiplier setting. It reads 2X as 6X, thus 6 x 66 = 396 mhz
You'd still be stuck with the 66mhz bus speed, no way around that one!
Might be able to run it at 6x75, though. Why not, since you have no choice but to use the higher voltage anyway!

Best bet would be to try & find someone that's done it using the same board to make sure it'll work properly.

[Ed_S]

Ran a forum search using keyword "remap", any date, all forums.

133 matches. You got some reading to do! http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

Here's a couple
http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/Forum2/HTML/003810.html
http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/Forum2/HTML/006991.html

Lots more if you look for it.

Ed

[ablang]

Thanks Ed.

I was on Pricewatch.com looking at prices of AMD k6-2 400 CPUs and they were about $50, including S&H. Not bad. But then I saw the K6-2 550's and thought, hmmm. I'm sure there's probably a good reason why I can't run those...

According to my manual, the board can run an external bus clock of up to 75Mhz, not 83. I was thinking... If the 2x freq ratio multiplier becomes 6x with a AMD back-comp chip, then I could technically run a K6-2 500 Mhz, which is 75 Mhz ext. clock x 6.0 = 500.

[This message has been edited by ablang (edited 09-05-2000).]

[ablang]

Here is "Just Joe"s advice emailed to me:

"I upgraded my Gateway P5-133 to 400Mhz with Evergreens AMD processor.
It was a fantastic increase in speed and overall performance. The cost
was $149.00 and well worth the expense. Installation was very simple
and fast.

Point your browser to:
http://www.evertech.com/spectra/spectraall.asp

Good Luck

Joe"

My reply is as follows:

Thanks for the advice, Joe. But that is a little more expensive than I was planning for more of a short term solution. A AMD K6-2 400 Mhz CPU is about $50 now including S&H. A 500 shouldn't be that much more. I think I will keep exploring this option.

[Win_98]

Your other option would be to get a Cyrix MII 333 using 1.5 x 75mhz will give you an equivalent speed of P333mhz not bad huh for a cheap solution. It cheaper then P233mhz chip as well

[Ed_S]

Is your board a rev. 3? That's vital, the earlier ones do NOT have the correct voltages, or even close.

As to looking at the 500 or 550, while they are supposed to have the 2x/6x remap, you won't gain anything! ONLY 2x is remapped, so there's no way to utilize the extra mhz while on that board.
Regardless of which K6 (above 400) used, the board's theoretical max is 6 x 75 (450), and most 400's will do 450 easily.

Just thought you should know.

But if you REALLY want to buy a 550, I'll trade you a 400 for it! http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/wink.gif (joke)

Ed

Oh, yeah. About the 83mhz bus. Their site does show the jumper settings for it. But I wouldn't recommend it, lots of folks had trouble with that bus speed.

[ablang]

Hehehe. You got me there on the math, Ed.

6 x 75 = 450, not 500 Mhz. Okay, so theoretical max is 450 Mhz chip. I'm still not sure what you mean when you type "a 400 will do a 450"? That's like saying "I'll do a female celebrity". JK!

I'm going to assume the motherboard revision is on the MB itself, and it doesn't really matter what version the BIOS says upon bootup. Of course, that would mean you could never flash the chip to get the MB upgraded? Or can you?

[Ed_S]

What I meant by "most 400's will do 450 easily" is simply to overclock the chip. My CPU is a 400, but it's never been ran at that speed yet! Runs at 450 flawlessly.

What you see on boot is the BIOS revision, not the MB's.

From their info, it appears that the older version did NOT support P55C (MMX) chips. So if your's does have those settings, it's the newer one.

Older board info (http://www.asus.com.tw/products/motherboard/pentium/p55t2p4/p55t2p4-spec.html)
Revision 3.0 info (http://www.asus.com.tw/products/motherboard/pentium/p55t2p4/p55t2p430-spec.html)

Bios versions & updates refer to the Bios' setup features, not the board's physical capabilities. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/wink.gif



[This message has been edited by Ed_S (edited 09-06-2000).]

[Ed_S]

Just did another forum search & found several topics that indicate this HAS been done.
http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/001062.html
http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/Forum3/HTML/007012.html
http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/Forum5/HTML/003179.html